Susan Wang L&S Sciences
Characterizing Expression of CtBP Isoforms
Many factors come into play in the course of an organisms growth and development, one of which is the transcriptional coregulator C-terminal Binding Protein (CtBP). CtBP has been characterized in a variety of developmental pathways, including the TGF-beta and WNT pathways, and has been shown to produce growth abnormalities when studied in drosophila melanogaster. I plan to study transcription of drosophila CtBP by using fluorescent in situ hybridization (FISH). Although drosophila CtBP is encoded by just one gene, there are actually several isoforms of the protein that can each produce very different phenotypes when expressed. Because the protein structures of the isoforms are very similar, FISH can help us better differentiate the expression patterns, as well as determine if there are differences between the various mRNA transcripts that produce the same protein isoform. We hope to eventually see either spatial or temporal differences that may explain the phenotypic results. Characterizing the expression patterns of the isoforms and their transcripts can give us a better understanding of CtBPs role in controlling development.